Static Charge
by AKissAndAGunshot
Summary: Sollux Captor isn't having a good night. Staying up late into the day wouldn't normally make a troll feel better, but on this rare occasion, luck is on Sollux's side.


**haha so I don't really remember how this mess started but I vaguely recall being given a rarepair prompt for a pale porn oneshot and I somehow came up with Sollux/Tavros (hence the terrible pun in the name, wink wink nudge nudge). I made the mistake of setting it on the meteor and because of this it's evolving into even more pale porn oneshots, but since this is currently the only finished one, it's the one y'all are getting**

 **warning: explicit cuddling ahead**

 **X-X-X **

_**Static Charge**_

 **X-X-X **

" _Hii22!"_

Sollux dug his middle knuckle into the bridge of his nose, cursing the fact that his lisp interfered with as basic a trollish vocalization as _hissing._

He'd been stuck on a simple stack overflow error for hours and still couldn't find the source of the problem in the nightmarish maze of ~ATH code he'd somehow created. Seeking distraction, he'd turned to video games - but there were no servers left for MMOs since the destruction of Alternia, and he'd long since beaten every single player game he owned on the hardest difficulty settings, both with and without his own difficulty-enhancing mods.

There was nothing interesting on the meteor's security feeds, other than Vriska lurking suspiciously in the deeper levels and Gamzee drumming agitatedly on the edge of a table in the common block with a set of alchemized drumsticks. The rest of the incredibly endangered species known as _Trollian Sapiens_ seemed to be holed up in whatever they'd claimed as their hives, just like he was.

Sollux opened his code again. The moment he looked at the first block, a sharp spike of pain lanced through his skull and a crackle of red and blue electricity flashed in his right hand.

"Fuck. Fuck!"

The husktop keyboard was smoking slightly, which meant it was probably beyond saving.

Sollux shoved the biomachine away from him, ignoring the faint warning chirps coming from it. _II'll grow a new keyboard for iit iin the eveniing. IIt'2 two fuckiing late iin the day two 2tart now._

The headache was still pulsing. Abruptly, an answering growl sounded in his stomach.

 _Fuck, have II eaten toniight? Or today? II fuckiing haven't, have II._

Reluctantly, as if the act pained him, Sollux stood up and padded to the door in the front wall of his server block. The door at the _back_ led to his respiteblock; in the other direction, there was his storage block, then a social block and finally the anteblock where the transportalizer lay. It was a nice straight line of progressively deeper privacy, with the only deviation being the conversion of a closet in the respiteblock into a minimal ablution block.

Though he didn't admit it to anyone, Sollux genuinely liked living on the meteor. A troll could really _nest_ here. The hive Sollux had once lived in, a shitty apartment in an urban hivestem with only four blocks in a perfectly generic pattern, had constantly aggravated both him and his lusus - but now he had no landlord to tell him what he could and couldn't claim as territory, and no lusus he was forced to share space with. _Even iif KK yell2 loud enough two be both, 2ometiime2._

Sighing, Sollux stepped onto the transportalizer pad and vanished in a flash of light.

 **X-X-X **

The mealblock was usually deserted in the wee hours of the day, a fact that Sollux was profoundly grateful for.

It was also, unfortunately, bereft of any substantial food. There wasn't much point in storing food, which could easily spoil, when grist was timeless. Unfortunately Sollux did _not_ have the energy to traipse over to the alchemy block to create something edible, even if failure to do so would only feed the cycle of malnutrition and fatigue.

There were some discarded grub husks in the fridge. They were dry and tasteless. Sollux didn't particularly care.

"Oh! Um, I didn't, uhh, think anyone else would be awake at this time of day, sorry…"

Sollux managed to spin his chair 180 degrees with a single swift, nervous kick of his legs.

The newcomer was actually quite tall, and the fact was only concealed by his deceptively compressed posture. His horns were almost too wide to move through the door without inclining them. The gleam of steel under the cloth of his pants, visible at his ankles and waist, completed Sollux's mental checklist.

"Oh. Hey, Tavro2," he mumbled. "2orry. Couldn't 2leep."

Tavros grinned and nervously scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, the, uh," he replied. "The night-day cycle here is, not exactly, um, natural feeling."

 _Oh, TV, II've never 2lept riight. That wa2 a thiing long before thii2 2hiitty meteor._

"Keepiing you up two?" Sollux replied idly. "II alway2 thought you'd be able two 2leep through a nuclear bombardment. Mo2t non p2iioniic lowblood2 2leep pretty ea2iily."

Tavros laughed softly. Sollux blinked, drawing back slightly. _II've… never actually heard hiim laugh before._

"I am one. Uh, a psionic, that is? But, um, not a strong one. I can only commune with animals and, um, suggest them a little." The orange blooded troll bit his lip. "I didn't really, well, realize what being away from animals would mean. My old hive was, uh, kind of… out of the way, away from any urban zones, so there were always animals. And there were always the, uh, consorts, on LOSAZ. But here I can't feel _anything._ That's why I'm awake."

It was Sollux's turn to laugh. "Wow. Fuckiing three for three. Every warm blood on thii2 2hiitty chunk of 2pace rock ii2 a p2iion." Sollux pushed the now-empty plate away and leaned back in his chair. "Hone2tly… II wa2n't even trying two 2leep. II wa2 up becau2e II got 2tuck on a triiviial programmiing problem and then realii2ed II wa2 hungry a2 fuck."

Tavros tilted his head slightly, although the gesture was significantly exaggerated by the breadth of his horns. He leaned back against the wall by the door.

"Did you… did you, um, eat at all tonight?" He said softly.

Sollux looked up sharply, his eyes narrowing behind his glasses. "What'2 iit two you?"

 _Fuck, the la2t tiime II heard a concerned voiice wa2 - no, no, II'm not gonna thiink about iit, AA ii2 dead, all that'2 left ii2 that freaky robot. 2he'2 gone. 2he'2 gone._

"Sollux…" Tavros straightened. "You've gotta eat. You can't just, uh, code energy into your body."

"Your _lu2u2_ can't ju2t code energy iinto hii2 body," Sollux hissed, folding his arms.

Tavros looked down. Sollux couldn't tell if he was sighing or not.

"What would you like to eat, Sollux?"

The Gemini drew back as if stung, almost falling out of his chair. "Wh- what do you mean?"

"I'm going to, uh, go to the alchemy block to make you food. What would you like?"

Sollux blinked, incredibly thankful for his two-tone tinted glasses. He probably looked like an antlerbeast in the headlights of a heavy cargo vehicle.

 _IIt… iit doe2n't mean anythiing. TV ii2 ju2t a friiendly, helpful per2on. Hell, he 2tiill talk2 two Vrii2ka. Kiind two a fuckiing fault._

"II dunno," Sollux finally mumbled back. "II u2ually ju2t eat grubflake2 and caffeiinated 2oda."

Tavros tapped his chin with one finger as if in thought, although his gaze never left Sollux.

"I, uh, I have a pre-made alchemy code for grubloaf," he said hesitantly. "Would you eat that? I have, um, other options-"

"2ure. Why not." Sollux leaned forward until his forehead was resting on the table. _II haven't exactly got anythiing better two be doiing. No harm iin a liittle 2elf iindulgence._

Sollux lifted his head just in time to see Tavros nod, and a tiny smile flickered across the other troll's lips as he turned and stepped out the door.

 _What the hell wa2 that?_

 **X-X-X**

"Um. Do you like it?"

 _Ii't2 okay. Whatever. Not unpalatable, II gue22 -_ is what Sollux considered saying.

"Anythiing ii2 a fuckiing fea2t when you haven't eaten iin 48 hour2," he mumbled, and then blinked. _Jegu2, II mu2t be way more tiired than II thought II wa2._

Tavros grinned. Actually full-fangs grinned. "That's good," he said. "I'm glad you're, uh, enjoying it."

"Better than 2tarviing," Sollux replied flippantly through a mouthful of grubloaf. He cursed inwardly at how much worse it made his lisp.

The grin disappeared in a flash, and suddenly Tavros wore a concerned frown again. "I don't want you to starve."

For the merest second Sollux's eyebrows shot up in surprise. _You're not my moiiraiil!_ he almost hissed. _II don't need your piity or concern!_

And yet, something stopped him.

 _The game can briing the dead back to liife; II've 2een the re2ults my2elf. But AA doe2n't have a dream2elf two re2tore, nor a body two 2acriifiice even iif we could reach Der2e. And even iif 2he 2omehow come2 back… thiing2 won't be the 2ame. 2he'2 2o cold and dii2tant now. II don't know her anymore._

"Thank you, Tavro2," Sollux said, his voice even - almost calm - as he deliberately met the other troll's gaze. "Iit'2 2weet of you two worry about me."

A dark orange tint graced Tavros' cheekbones, and Sollux fought down a silly smile at the sight. The taller troll seemed to realize he'd been caught.

"I - I, uh - I didn't mean to overstep," Tavros began babbling almost frantically. "I - I mean, you're just -"

"Hot palebaiit?"

Tavros slammed his mouth shut and looked down, the blush spreading across his face and down his neck. Sollux chuckled.

"... Yes," Tavros finally managed to squeak.

"2o you _are_ iintere2ted iin me," Sollux murmured, almost as if to himself. Tavros didn't look up, but he took a deep breath.

"I - I am. I've, uh, I've never had a moirail, so this is probably… umm… just a crush, and I - I know you're with Aradia, I didn't mean -"

"Me and AA aren't together," Sollux interrupted, though his voice was still quiet. "2he'2 _dead,_ and 2he'2 got gho2t robot thiing2 two focu2 on. We're not… we're not moiiraiil2 anymore."

"… Oh." Tavros looked torn, a sympathetic expression warring with a hopeful one over control of his face.

Sollux watched Tavros' internal conflict for almost a minute, his own face a practiced blank.

 _He'2 cute enough; he ha2 hii2 own brand of diiamond attractiivene22. He'2 2omeone II know and tru2t. Iit beat2 goiing back two codiing for another 2iix hour2. Well, 2ollux, why not?_

"2o, your piile or miine?"

Tavros' eyes widened to a comical degree, and he made a small choking noise. Sollux bit the inside of his cheek, and the lead-tin taste of yellow blood flooded his mouth.

 _Fuck fuck fuck, what the hell wa2 II thiinkiing?! You can't ju2t 2ay "let'2 get down two jammiing liike a paiir of pale piile buddiie2" out of fuckiing nowhere liike that! Jegu2 Chrii2t 2ollux you 2hould be a2hamed of your2elf -_

"Err… I, um," Tavros began. _Holy 2hiit, he'2 actually hiidiing hii2 face wiith hii2 hand2, that'2 fuckiing adorable._ "I d-don't have a, umm, pile, made up already, but, um, I don't mind making one, I know you don't really like other trolls in your territory much, I mean…"

He trailed off, looking at Sollux with a worried expression. _Fuck. 2ay 2omethiing, geniiu2._

"Uh. 2ure. Your piile iit ii2." Sollux took a deep breath and forced down the rush of anxiety with practiced mental control. He stepped forward and held his hand out. "Care two lead me there?"

Tavros' blush didn't ease up in the slightest,and there was a shy smile on his face as his hand closed over Sollux's.

Sollux couldn't hold back an answering smile.

 **X-X-X**

Sollux had seen 'host plushes' in action a few times, before he'd decided computerized gaming was more his style than fiduspawn. Watching the innocent stuffed animals get eviscerated from within was, to put it mildly, grotesque. However, when not implanted with an oogonibomb, they were more or less like any other teddy bear.

Which meant they made a great core for a pile.

Tavros proudly stuck one of his lances into the far side of the huge mound of red-yellow plushies and fiduspawn card decks.

"It, uh," Tavros cocked his head. "It's almost done. It needs something of yours."

Sollux looked up from across the pile, where he'd just wedged a Pupa Pan DVD case in between two plushies. "Are… you 2ure?" He asked, tentatively. "II mean, II know iit'll be ea2iier for you two relax iin a piile of your own 2tuff -"

"But you'll, uh, you'll feel more at home if there's your stuff too, won't you?"

 _Fuck, II'm blu2hiing. Gog damn._ "II diidn't exactly briing my top 10 piile materiials. Maybe -"

"Please, Sol?"

 _Fuck, how am II 2uppo2ed two say no when he giives2 me that kiicked iinfant barkbea2t look?_ "Uh… alriight, giive me a miinute." Sollux opened his sylladex. There wasn't much in it, and what was there was hardly ideal for a pile, but if Tavros insisted…

He retrieved a computer comb he'd been meaning to upgrade. Inactive, it simply looked like a slab of strangely arranged beeswax; with the addition of mind bees, it would be a complete and fully functional blade server. Sollux allowed himself a moment of pride at the fact that the rough-and-ready communications and intelligence network the trolls used was almost entirely due to his efforts; he'd managed to keep his alpha server stack active through the entire game session.

The computer comb wasn't much to lie on, but it made excellent structural shoring for the left side of the pile. As an afterthought, he walked over the right side and deposited a game grub to balance his items.

"See? I think that's, um, much better."

Sollux looked at the pile of his and Tavros' stuff. The pile of _his_ and _Tavros'_ stuff. The _pile_ of his and Tavros' stuff. Sollux felt his cheekbones burning.

Tavros, however, seemed to have - at least temporarily - gotten over his hesitancy. He climbed onto the pile as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

"C'mon, Sollux," he said, holding out his hand.

 _Wow. Who'2 the nervou2 one now, 2ollux?_

Sollux grasped Tavros' hand, mentally bracing for a sharp yank that would leave him sprawled over the other troll - something Aradia had been fond of doing.

But Tavros was not Aradia.

Before Sollux could get lost in a tangle of thoughts about his evident preference for psionic lowbloods with impressive endowment in the horn department, Tavros tugged gently on his hand - suggesting, never insistent - and Sollux let himself be pulled into the pile.

He still ended up sprawled over Tavros like an incredibly gangly, bony blanket. _2hiit, you're ju2t the piicture of beauty and grace today, 2ollux, ju2t layiing your2elf out all over another troll. Hey, you know how thii2 goe2, and he doe2n't; why don't you quiit beiing a dumba22 and -_

"Sollux?" Tavros' voice was feather-soft - Sollux couldn't tell if it was from his own nervousness or if he was just being as gentle as possible. "Hey, it's, it's okay. You don't need to worry."

 _Fuck, that wa2 chee2y. And he doe2n't even realiize iit eiither. Ju2t when II thought he couldn't be any 2weeter -_

Then Sollux's train of thought sharply derailed as Tavros' arms wrapped around him in a tight hug, with one hand on his shoulder and the other slowly stroking down his spine. "You - you're so _tense,_ Sollux. These knots must hurt."

"Y-yeah, well," Sollux stammered defensively, trying not to shiver at the sensation. "II've got a lot on my plate, okay? II'm watchiing 2ecuriity camera2 for the whole m-meteor and keepiing our wiifii network north of functiional, and, and -"

At some point Tavros had started pressing his thumbs into the tighter knots of muscle in Sollux's shoulders and rubbing in small circles, and when he reached the crux of Sollux's neck, the smaller troll's nervous tirade was cut short by a trilling chirp.

Tavros' hands immediately stopped, and Sollux couldn't hold back a faint clicking whine at the loss. "Why - fuck -" he shook his head sharply to clear the warm, fuzzy fog that had leeched into his thinkpan. "Why'd you 2top?"

Tavros furrowed his brow. "I thought, um, that is, I was worried I'd hurt you," he managed.

Sollux let out a breathless laugh and shook his head again. "No. Jegu2, no. That wa2 a good 2ound."

"… Oh." Tavros' worried expression softened, and Sollux felt the other troll's hands brush over his shoulders again. "Um, may I…"

"Y-ye2." Sollux's voice was small, and he couldn't meet Tavros' eyes. "… plea2e."

And then Tavros' hand was on his neck again, and Sollux shuddered at the sensation. It felt like his bones were made of wax that was melting under Tavros' touch.

He wasn't sure how much time passed, marked only by his own chirps and gasps. When he resurfaced, Tavros was idly tracing a circle on the back of his neck while holding him tightly.

With one shaky hand, Sollux reached up and took off his two-tone glasses, tossing them to the edge of the pile. Then he let his head fall again, resting his forehead on Tavros' shoulder.

"… thank2," he said eventually. Tavros blushed.

"No, th- thank _you,"_ Tavros squeaked. "I… um… I don't mind at all. I'm glad you enjoyed it."

"More than ju2t enjoyed iit," Sollux mumbled. "II… II don't thiink II've let my2elf relax 2iince before the game even 2tarted. Fuck. The game wa2 riight two make me Mage of Doom. II've been 2earchiing for danger at every turn."

Tavros brought his hand up to Sollux's head, scratching softly at his scalp. "You've stretched yourself so thin. Trying to, to keep us all safe. I'm, uh, I'm kind of amazed."

"Nobody 2hould be amazed at me," Sollux insisted. "II've ju2t been runniing from my own fuckup2. II've gotten everythiing wrong 2iince II kiilled AA. Every problem we've run iinto ha2 been my fault iin the end -"

"Sollux, that's not true."

"Of cour2e iit ii2 -"

But Sollux's rebuttal was cut short by another trill, higher and longer this time, as Tavros brushed his fingertip over the narrow space between Sollux's left horns. The smaller troll twitched and shivered, his vocabulary reduced to chirps and gasps as Tavros stroked the junction between scalp and horn with just the right amount of pressure.

"You've been carrying us this whole time, Sollux," Tavros whispered. "Karkat might yell orders, but, um, even I can see who Karkat goes to for advice. We all do, really. You've always been the, well, the first to know about anything."

"B-but -" Sollux gasped, "But II -"

"Shhhh." Tavros' other hand abandoned the task of hugging Sollux, in favor of stroking his other set of horns. Sollux let out a loud squeak at the contact, and sparks began crackling and jumping between the tips of his horns, but Tavros paid them no mind. "Shhhh, Sollux. I've got you. You - you don't need to worry about anything right now."

Sollux gave a final, hissing shudder, and his mind dissolved into white haze. He only vaguely registered the a soft, high-pitched purr emanating from his throat.

For a brief, beautiful moment, there was no weight on his shoulders. No deadly world-eating game, no contingent of trolls riding on his decisions, no omnipotent demon hunting them through the furthest ring. There was only Tavros beneath him, and the soft, nest-like pile around him, and the purr that he wouldn't have been able to stop even _if_ for some reason he felt like trying.

Once again, time became blurry. Sollux was pretty sure he lay there at least half an hour, but it could have been several hours for all he knew. When he came back to himself, Tavros was still gently stroking his hair.

"… 2hiit, TV. Are you _2ure_ you've never raiiled anyone before?"

Tavros blushed solid orange. "Um. Uhh, Y-yes. Definitely. I, uh, I've had, um, crushes before, but never, um… done that. Err. Does that mean it was, uhh…"

Sollux laughed, and for once it didn't have its usual sardonic ring to it. "That iit wa2 good for me, two? Fuckiing riight iit wa2. You've got _talent,_ TV."

 _II'm gonna be purriing 2oftly for the whole niight, aren't II? II don't thiink II can even briing my2elf two be mad about iit eiither. Jegu2._

Tavros lapsed into silence, and Sollux felt something… different in the admittedly very narrow space of air between them.

 _He'2 a p2iion - ii2 he projectiing? II know II could tell when AA u2ed two be feeliing down. Fuck, what would II know? II've liiterally never jammed wiith a non p2iion._

"TV." Sollux pushed himself up to look into Tavros' eyes, and prayed his own mismatched, blank scarlet and ultramarine eyes weren't too offputting. "Tavro2. What'2 on your miind?"

Tavros looked away, and took a few deep breaths. He bit his lip.

"… does this make us moirails?" He managed to whisper.

Sollux had been half-expecting the question, but he couldn't stop the shiver that ran down his spine at the words. He forced his hand to unclench - the last thing he needed was to claw his own palm open.

 _He'2 clearly pale for you, 2ollux. IIt'2 hardly hii2 fault that you're two me22ed up two know your own feeliing2._

 _But II2 iit faiir two lead hiim on when iit miight come two nothiing?_

 _Counterpoiint: ii2 iit faiir two cut thii2 off whiithout giiviing hiim a chance? E2peciially 2iince you let it get thii2 far already, dumba22. You're liiterally on top of hiim iin a piile and purriing._

"… II can't 2ay yes, TV."

"Oh." Tavros managed to look contrite and crestfallen at the same time. "I'm, uh, sorry. I shouldn't have -"

Sollux put a finger over Tavros' lips.

"II can't… II can't exactly 2ay _no,_ eiither." Tavros furrowed his brow, but didn't interrupt. "II haven't been able two get my med2 2iince the game 2tarted and II'm all kiind2 of fucked iin the pan the2e day2. 2ometiime2 II feel a2 crazy a2 Gamzee. II don't know iif II can giive you what you want or de2erve."

Tavros' confused look deepened.

"2o… how about we ju2t… 2ee where thii2 take2 u2? One 2tep at a tiime?"

The other troll blinked, his expression slowly shifting from confusion to hopefulness. "You… you mean it?"

Sollux nodded.

"Then… yes! Yes." Tavros smiled wider than Sollux had ever seen. "I, uh, I mean, thank you -"

"Don't thank me yet." Sollux's hand ran down the length of Tavros' horn, his thumb rubbing briefly against the base before drifting further down to trace the outside of an ear. Tavros shivered. "II a22ure you, you'll be far more grateful iin a few miinute2."

 _Larger horn2 are le22 2en2iitiive. Good thiing II know a thiing or two about raiiliing troll2 wiith biig horn2._

"I - oh - _ohh,_ that's lovely," Tavros stammered, his speech already punctuated by the soft clicks that were a precursor to chirps. "I - _Sollux -"_

The Gemini smirked as the fingers of his other hand found their way to the back of Tavros' neck, tracing over the pattern of his spine.

The clicks became soft trills as Sollux ran his fingers - just a shade cooler than Tavros' own skin - down the ridge of bone to between the troll's shoulderblades. He moved his other hand from Tavros' ear.

The brush of a thumb across his cheekbone could have been mistaken for an electric shock for the effect it had. Tavros shuddered and gave off a sharp cascade of chirps, deeper and longer than Sollux's birdlike vocalizations.

"Shoosh," Sollux whispered, leaning in to Tavros' ear. "Shoosh."

It was a little redundant, as Tavros was far from capable of speaking at that point - but soothing sounds were an easily overlooked part of pile interactions, and without the easy method of horn stimulation, Sollux wasn't about miss any other detail. Tavros deserved better than _that._

Sollux let his thumb trace around the eye and over Tavros' brow, then down over the bridge of his nose.

"II'm here, Tavro2," he whispered. "II'm not goiing two leave. II'm here…"

A soft circle traced over Tavros' forehead, a soft nudge of his nose against the other troll's ear, his fingers tracing _just_ the right pattern over the back of his lower neck -

Tavros shivered, and his next chirp drew out into a long cry. Sollux left off his ministrations to grasp his partner tightly, holding him around the shoulders and pressing their foreheads together.

Eventually, Tavros stopped shaking, and the gasping trills settled into a soft purr.

"… what time is it?" He murmured, sleepily.

"Pa2t three iin the afternoon," Sollux whispered back. "We 2hould probably 2leep, huh."

"Yeah." Tavros lifted his head, although he was careful not to hit Sollux with his horns. "I guess we should, uh, get up…"

Sollux didn't share the sentiment, and stayed draped over Tavros as a dead weight - in as much as he had any weight to muster. "Nah, 2eem2 fine here," he mumbled.

"But… don't you need to get back to your coon?"

"Nope." Sollux grinned into Tavros' shoulder. "No coon ii2 a2 good as a piile wiith the riight per2on. Crawliing back two my re2piiteblock would ju2t kiill the buzz you got goiing."

"Oh." Tavros yawned. "I - uh - I did wonder why I seemed to be falling asleep so… easily."

"II'll tell you all about the biiology of iit iif you liike…" Sollux bit back a yawn of his own. "Later. 2leep now."

"Yeah." Tavros lifted his head. "Lights!" He called to the empty block.

The respiteblock illumination dimmed and went out, and Sollux's last memory was the soft sound of Tavros' purring and the strong arms around him.

 **X-X-X **


End file.
